Game or amusement apparatus



April 1, 1941- J. c. K. SWAN ETAL 2 32 GAME OR AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Filed March 13, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet l waw avzdfiecfir Badman Eqy, deceased (01:52am Ma?z' da 20 sxecuirir.

rronusys April 1, 1941. J. c. K. SWAN ET AL GAME QR AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Filed March 13, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 1, 1941 GAME on AMUSEMENT APPARATUS John Cyril" Kingsley Swan, "Hove; England, and

; Hector Buchanan Roy, deceased, late of Hove, England, by Constance Matilda' Roy, executrix,

Hove, England "Application March 13, 1939, Serial No. 261,620 I In Great Britain March 21, 1938 8 Claims.

-'I'li'is-"invntion"relates to game -'or amusement apparatus' of an automatic or 'semi automatic character, and broadly comprises a *mechanism "-whichwhen' put into operation gives 'in association w'itheach' of a number ofevents an indication of which of a number of possible results (generally the same number for each'event) has been 'chosen at random by selecting means in- "cludedin the mechanism.

I' he mechanism com'prisesa plurality of means, each adapted-'when engag'ed by a-ball to initiate --actuation of one of" a number'of devices (e. g. lamps or'other indicators), said means being arrangedina plurality of groups, -means for "dis- -tributing'a plurality of'balls, one and only one --to"each of -said=groups, to co-operate with one of the means in each group I selected at random *by the corresponding *balland to provide for the actuation'of one of said 'devices, whereby a selectednumberof the devices, one for each group, may be actuated.

A'plurality of sockets for the reception of the balls provides for the-grouping of the means with which the balls co-operate to bring about the selective actuationof the plurality of devices, either by ;theprovision of a number of means in each socket, or by agrouping of sockets each containing one such means.

According to one form of mechanism-elongated sockets are used, the width of each socket varyf-ingprogressively along its length, and balls of different's'i'zes are used with the sockets,- so that the differently sized"balls are restrained at differ ent points in th-e length of the sockets, the "meansadapted to'be controlled by the introduction of theballsbeing disposedat each'such point in each socket.

According to the second form of mechanism, the sockets are arranged in groups withea'ch of which aball -isassociated, there being in each -soc'ket asingle means adapted to be'controlled :by the introduction of'theball, so that the'ran- *do m' distribution" or the ban to' one of the secrets in' the groiip prevides for the" actuation of the device contiolledbythemeans in the" socket receivir'igtheball. v

) -A'slection being made by'the distribution of T the balls to the" socketsfa" corresponding selec- "tion" can 'be' made among the" plurality of devices associated with" the 'socke'ts,"and indicating or F cthr 'ii'i'eans is included in the mechanism to finake known the'results'of the"fselection. Thus, for "exam-pie, limbs "or oth'elr indicators may be ariariged'infsets; one only ofeach 's'et b'elng 'se- 7 l'ected by the balls entering th'so'ckets,

Such'an arrangement used as the basis of an amusement or gameapparatus may have a'plurality er ball-'and 'sock'et meanseach representin'g'adootball or other'match, each such means "S-e'rvmgm show the winning of the match by" the ,Home team orby the Away team or a resides in the provision of means under the control -of the player to enable him to make any desired selection among a plurality of devices equal in number to the plurality of devices associated with the sockets, the mechanism then either enablinghim to make comparison between his selection andthe automatic selection efiected by the introduction of the balls, or rendering the result visible only where any of his selections agrees with the selection made by the ball-andsocket mechanism. Means may be provided for allotting to the player an indication of the correctness of his selection, for example by the employment of a totalisator' and/or by the issuing 'of a card or other token showing the number of'correct selections.

The mechanism may be coinor token-operated, electric 'motor'or other means producing a cycle of operations in which balls are distributed 'at' random to the sockets, the indication of the selection is rendered visible or otherwise made 40" known to'the'player', and the balls are removed from the sockets in readiness for further distrib-ution.

Means may also 'be provided to enable the player to have the b'en'e'fit of more than one cycle of operations for' each release of the freeing mechanism.

Theballs may operate the plurality of devices electrically, for example by the sockets having pairs of electric contacts adapted to be connected bythe introduction of a ball of conducting material. The operation may, however, be pneumatic, 'for' example by having an aperture at a point-at which a ball rests in the socket, 'so that "onebf' a pluralityof tubes "maybe closedby a ball to permit a vacuum to set up in the tube and provide for selective pneumatic operation of the device connected to that tube. a

The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a cabinet housing mechanism adapted to be used in conjunction with selector switches operable by a player, the view showing the positions at which lights appear to indicate the results selected by the player and by the mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the ball-and-socket mechanism and its operating mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a part-sectional elevation of the balland-socket mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of part of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a wiring diagram showing the operation of the indicator lights by the selector switches and ball-and-socket mechanism; and

Fig. 6 is a wiring diagram of a modified form of ball-and-socket mechanism.

Referring to Fig. 1, a cabinet I is provided with an inclined front 2 in which is provided a coinslot 3, three ground glass panels 4, 5, 6 behind which lights are positioned to show respectively (a) the selection of results obtained by the player by the operation of the 12 3-pole, 2-way switches I, (b) the selection of the results obtained by the mechanism itself, and (c) the agreement between the two sets of results. A panel 8 serves to shownumerically the number of correct results. A frame 9 receives a card, preferably removable, bearing an indication of twelve events,

the three possible results of each of which are to be forecasted.

Within the casing is the ball-and-socket mechanism shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. This comprises an elongated tray III (hereinafter called a "rocker) mounted so as to rock about pivots II in brackets I2. The rocker is divided lengthwise into three compartments I3 and the left-hand end of each compartment terminates in an insulating block I4 formed with four serrations I5 into each of which may enter one of a plurality 1.

of balls I6 contained in the rocker when that end of the rocker is depressed. The serrations are formed by four tapered grooves closed below the surface I I of the rocker I 0 by. a metal plate I8 so as to form sockets I9. of each socket I9 at which the widths of the socket are 4-inch, -inch and A -inch respectively are electric contacts H, 20A, 20G. The balls I6 in the rocker have diameters equal to the dimensions just mentioned, many balls inexcess of four (say 12) as will ensure that by rocking the rocker each socket may be made to receive a ball. The numbers of each size of ball may be equal or unequal, as will be explained more fully later. The plate I8 provides a common return for each of the three circuits that may be completed by balls of the three different sizes entering the sockets.

With the rocker I 0 tipped so that the left-hand end is raised, the balls I6 lie at the right hand end of the rocker. The tipping of the rocker in the other direction causes the balls to run down the rocker so that one ball enters each serration I5, a thoroughly random distribution preferably being effected by 2I along the sides and in the centres of the rockers. The gaps left by the obstructions should not be so narrow as to allow any bridging by the balls.

Passing through the sockets I9 in each com- At points in the length I there being as theprovision of the obstructions order to ensure that no serration is without a ball, the rocker is tilted a second time while the plungers remain raised, by means to be described later.

The three contacts 20 in each socket are connected to three electric lamps 24R, 24A, 24G of three different colours, e. g. red, yellow and green, there being altogether twelve sets of such lamps. Three sets I, II, 111 are shown in Fig. 5. The lamps 24 lie in sets of three alongside the card in the frame 9 bearing the names of the teams of twelve football or other matches, the lighting of a red, yellow, or green lamp indicating respectively a Home win, an Away win, or a (Draw).

As previously mentioned, the switches I are of the 3-pole type, and, the switches being located opposite the 12 matches shown in the frame 9, an indication at the left hand end of the set of switches shows the player that the top, 'middle and bottom positions of the switch levers enable him to select Home, Away and Draw results respectively. The switches are also arranged for 2-way working to control the circuits of the lights displayed at the panel 4 to enable agreement between results in panels 4 and 5 to be shown in panel 6. The two halves IX, 'IY of the switches are shown separately in Fig. 5 for convenience. It will be understood, however, that when the switch-half IX is set to close the uppermost of its three circuits, the half 'IY also closes the uppermost of its own three circuits. Switch-half IX controls three lights 25R, 25A, 25G disposed one above the other behind the panel 4. Upon the insertion of a coin in the slot 3 the switch 26 is closed by means to be described later, to permit any of the lights 25 in the sets I XII to be switched on by operation of the switch-half IX. The sets of lights are supplied from a common lead 21, the leads28 connecting the switch-halves IX to a common return lead 29. The lead 28 of a set is also connected to the three lamps 24 of the same set, the

lamps 24 being disposed one above the other hehind the panel 5. With all the switches I set inany desired order by the player, 12 of the lights 25 indicate on the panel 4 the results of this selection.

In the meantime the rocker I0 has distributed 12 balls I6 at random into the 12 sockets I9 and the switch 30 is nowclosed (by means to be described later) to connect each of the plates I8 forming one side of each socket by a common lead 3|. Wherever a ball I6 makes a connection between a plate I8 and one of the contacts 28R, 20A, 28G, a corresponding lamp 24R, 24A, 24G is connected in the circuit by one of the leads 32. The closure of the switch 30 after distribution of the balls I8 to the sockets I9 thus lights l2 of the lamps 24 behind the panel 5. The leads 32 from the contacts 20 are also connected to the switch-half 'IY, the other side of which is connected by lead 33 to a lamp 34, the 12 lamps 34 being connected to a common lead 35.

.d'icated by the lights 34.

If the switch-halves 1X; lY-iof i one switch l have been set to closesay' the uppermost-of each or: their three circuits, and the largest size of ball enters: the" corresponding socket I 9, not only Ifyhowever, a ball of either of the corresponding lamp 34 is not lit. It follows then that upon closure of the switch 30, not only are 12 of the lamps 24 lit behind the panel 5, but also such of the lamps 34 behind the panel- 6 as in- -dicate correspondence between the players selection among the lamps 25 and the selection among the lamps 24 obtainedby the operation .of .therocker lb.

The leads 33 of the switchhalves '|Y lead to a counter behind panel 8, the counter being of any suitable type, to close the circuit of a-lamp behind a numeral corresponding to the total number of correct results, as infor the counter,

Fig. 5 shows the sets I to XII of the sockets |9 connected respectively to the corresponding sets I -to XII of the lamps 25 controlled by the-switch- ID, for example by balls of one size tending more frequently than the other sizes to enter the sock- :et-s, the connections between the sockets'and the circuits controlled by the switches I need not be I to I, II to II etc., but maybe arranged irregularly. Similarly, although in each compartment-|3 on the rocker there may be say four balls of each of the three differentsizes'difierent numbers of balls may be used, e. g, 5, 4, 3; and,

moreover, where one compartment |3 may have ,a larger number of one size of ball, another of the compartments may have a smaller number of that size of ball.

Provision is made for threecycles of operation I at each insertion of a coin, an interval being arranged before each showingof the selection made by the rocker during which the player can make his own selection, and the lamps 34 and the panel 8 showing towards the end of each cycle theeX- .tent to which the players-selection' agrees with that obtained by the rocker. The mechanism for this 3-cycle operation is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 2.

A' coin inserted in the slot 3 falls downlthe chute 31 on to the beam 38 and causes the beam to rock on its'pivot 39, thus closing the switch 40 in the circuit of the motor 4| and setting the :camshaft 42 in motion. A cam 43 provides for the tilting of the rocker ||l through the lever 44 and link 45, and a second cam 46 moves the plungers 22 in the sockets l3 through the lever 41, link 43, and lever 49.

The shaft 42 drives through gearing 50 a :sha'ft 5|, which makes one revolution while the shaft'42 makes three. Thecam' 52ion' the shait -5|' closes the switch 53 in the circuit'of'a timing motor 54 driving a shaft :55, acrank disc 56 on which serves" to withdrawa bar 5'l and permit the cointo'rollfrom the tiltdlbeam 38. The

switch 40 thus opens, but the circuit of the rocker motor 4| has in the meantime also been closed by the switch 58-controlled by the cam' 59.

fThe cam 59 contains fOufIlOtChGS, marked 1, 2',3 and's.' "Before the insertion or acoin,

36 is the returnlead operate v the rocker F El D and plungers 22.

Again, as soon as the shaft 5| rotates, the" cam zliig clesesthe switch .26rior. the'lamps 24 con- ..trolled through the switches by the player, the

" switch remaining closed" during'. the whole revolution of lthe'shaft 5|.

:iA further cam' 65! on shaft 5|. has three equally .spacedf projections 6 that serve to close the vswitch:ilfllcontrolling. thelamps 25) three times 'in one revolution of the'shaft.

The shaft" drivenby the timing motor 54 'ro-tates a snare-c2 through reduction gearing63. .A'cam '64 on the shaft 62' has a single projection 65 to close a switch 66 once in eachrevolution. The switch -66 is connected in the circuit of the rockerrmotor 4|.

The motors 4|, 54 drive their shafts and cams through-gear boxes Bl; Gtl at a slow speed. Al- Towing 5 minutes for the three cycles, the timing motor: 54rotat'es the cam 64 once in about 1% minutes. During this period, the shaft-42 makes :one'rotation' and the shaft 5| makes'i revolution; the timing-ofthese two shafts being, how- .ever; under the control of the motor 54. The speeds of the motors may-be adjusted by the rheostats 69. v

To return to thecycle that hadbeen started by the passing' of thefn0tch"S' in the cam 59-away .from theswitch 58, the closing of the switch-26 by. the cam53 permits the lamps 25' to show the "selection made by the player operating the switches I. I During: the interval thus provided,

, lower the--lefthand end of the rockeryand the balls run down the tilted compartments l3, being-mixedrby the. constructions 2 A ball enters 'ea-ch' =ofv the serrations |5 and drops slightly into the sockets l9 torest -on top of the plungers 22. Inorderto guard against the possibility of a ,socket not receiving a ball, the rocker is again tilted to the right and back to the left; one of the remaining balls then entering any vacant socket. The plungers 22-are then lowered by .the cam- Mitopermit the balls in the sockets to drop until they rest against contacts 28 at depths appropriate to their .Jdifierent. diameters.

-When theiballs have dropped, the cam brings one of its projections 6| into engagement with the switch .30 to complete the circuits through the 12 1amps-24 selected bythe rocker and through any lamps-34 showing agreement between the lamps :24, 25,:as already described.

--Whileithe=switch 38 is.closed,- the notch I :in

the cam 59: allows theswitch-58 to open andthe rocker motor ll stops,-the-switch30 remaining closed so that thellamps 24,25, 34 continue to be seen through thepanels 4, 5,6.

Control of the timing is maintained by the motorv 54,-and attheen'd-of 1 minutes, the cam 94 closes the switch 56 to restart the. rocker :motor 4|. 'ThesswitchiBll: opens to extinguish .the; 12 lamps 24 land 4 tolumake. .the zcontacts :20

in'the sockets" l9 dead. .The notch .l. moves cuit of the motor 4| after, the switch 66 has reopened. The player again adjusts the switches and the ejecting and rocking operations and the showing of results by the lamps 24 and 34 continue as in the first cycle. The second cycle ends by the notch 2 in the cam 59 allowing the switch 58 to open. The third cycle similarly ends with thB'sWitCh 58 opened by the notch 3. At'this point, the switch 30 remains closed by one of the projections 6| on the cam 66 and the cam 59 still keeps closed the circuit of the lamps 25. To switch off these circuits, the projection 65 on the cam 64 driven by the timing motor 54 closes the switch 66 for the third time, and the rocking motor rotates to permit the cam I59 to open the switch 26 and the cam 52 to stop the timing motor byopening the switch 53. The switch 58 is then opened by the notch S and the rocker motor 4| also comes to rest, the projection 65 on the cam 64 having, by the time the timing motor stopped, opened the switch 66. The bar 51 rests across the beam 38 in readiness to retain the next inserted coin.

Fig. 6 shows a rocker 16- formed with three compartments H in each of which are three sockets 12, one of which receives a ball 13 contained in the compartment by the tilting of the rocker. The'sides of the socket have contacts 14 that are connected when a ball 13 enters the socket. In each compartment three of the contacts 14 are connected to a common lead 15 from a switch 30. The other three contact 14 are connected to three lamps 16R, 16A and 76G disposed behind the panel 5. Return leads 11 are connected to each set of a three lamps and also to the switch-half kc of 3-way 2-pole selection.

The switch-half 1.1: is connected to a set of three lamps 18R, 18A, 18G, the return lead of the three sets of lamps I8 and return lead of H3 running to the switch I26. The other switchhalf 1y is connected by three leads 80 to the lamps 16 and to a light 8| and counter 82. Upon closure of the switch I26 manual operation of the switch 1 enables one of the lights 18 to be lit through the switch-half 1:12. Tilting of the rocker 10 causes the ball 12 in each compartment II to enable one of the lights 16 to be lit by closure of the switch I30. If the switch 1 has been set so that the corresponding lights of the two sets 18, 16 are lit, the circuit is completed through the switch-half lg to the lamp 8| and to the counter 82 indicating correctness of selection.

In Fig. 6 only three sets I, II, III of lights 16, "I8, 8| are shown, these corresponding to the three compartments II, but of course any other suitable number of sets may be provided, say 12, as' described with reference to Figs. 1-5. In view of a possible tendency for a ball in one compartment to enter one socket in preference to the other sockets and for the balls in the other compartments to show a similar preference, corresponding leads 83 (Fig, 6) from contacts 14 are connected to lamps 16 of difierent colour, so that such a tendency is not reflected as a tendency for lamps of one given colour to light in preference to those of any other colour.

Having described our invention, what 'we desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Game or amusement apparatus comprising a plurality of groups of devices adapted to be controlled by the distribution of balls, a second and corresponding plurality of groups of devices adapted to be manually controlled, a plurality of 2,237,122 away from the switch 58 to keep closed the circorresponding groups of means each adapted when engaged by a ball to initiate actuation of a device in one of the first pluralit of groups, means for distributin a plurality of balls to said initiating means, one and only one for each group of means, whereby a ball co-operates with one of the means selected at random from each group to provide for the actuation of one device in each of the first plurality of groups, a plurality of manual controlling means for the second plurality of groups of devices, and a plurality of indicators for indicating correctness between the manual control and the control by .a ball of corresponding groups of the first and second plurality of devices.

2. Game or amusement apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a rocking tray to contain the plurality of balls, and means for tilting the tray so as to efiect the required random distribution of the balls.

3. Gameor amusement apparatus comprising a rocking tray, a plurality of elongated sockets at one end of the tray, a plurality of balls of different sizes in the tray, means for tilting the tray so as to distribute the balls to the sockets, means for preventing more than one ball entering any one socket, the width of each socket varying progressively along its length so that diiferently sized balls are restrained at different points in the lengths of the sockets, means disposed at each such point to be engaged by a ball, a plurality of devices associated with the group of means in seach socket for selective-actuation by a ball distributed to each socket, a further and equal plurality of devices, means for manually controlling the further plurality of devices, and means for indicating correctness between the manual control of any one of the further plurality of devices and the control by a ball of the corresponding one of the plurality of devices controlled by thedistribution of the balls.

4. Game or amusement apparatus according to claim 3, comprising plungers in the sockets, and means to raise the plungers to eject distributed balls from the sockets.

5. Game or amusement apparatus according to claim 3, comprising plungers in the sockets, means to raise the plungers to eject distributed balls from the sockets, means to hold the tops of the plungers'just below the tops of the sockets when the tray is tilted to distribute balls to the sockets, so that each socket can only receive one ball, and means to lower the plungers to allow the one ball in each socket to fall into the socket and rest at a level corresponding with the diameter of the ball.

6. Game or amusement apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the tray has lengthwise compartments, there being a plurality of the sockets at one end of each compartment and a plurality of balls greater than the number of sockets in each compartment.

7. Game or amusement apparatus comprising a rocking tray, elongated sockets each of varying width in one end of the tray, a plurality of balls inthe tray, means for tilting the tray to distribute balls to the sockets, plungers in the sockets, means to position the tops of the plungers just below the tops of the sockets when theballs are being distributed so as to allow only one ball to enter each socket, means to lower the plungers to allow each such ball to fall in the socket and rest at a point corresponding to its diameter, electric contacts at each such pointinfieach socket, a plurality of indicating devices electrituated when a manual switch has selected a de- 10 vice corresponding to one selected by a ball.

8. Game or amusement apparatus according to claim 7, comprising an electric motor for controlling the rocking tray and the plung'ers, and a further motor for stopping and re-startin the first motor to permit more than one cycle of selections.

CONSTANCE MATILDA ROY,

Executria: of the Estate of the said Hector Buchanan Roy, Deceased.

JOHN CYRIL KINGSLE'Y SWAN. 

